Machine for channeling rock



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. H. KRUGER. MACHINE FOR GHANNELING ROCK.

No. 435,973. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

0127;}? Z. I Ian/aw ton /zfiii.

(N0 Modl.) k 3 Sheets-Sheet E. H. KRUGER.

MACHINE FOR GHANNELING ROCK No. 435,973. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

W Zlm'ney @%xw m, Q 4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. KRUGER, OF BUFFALO, NElV YORK,

-IV|ACH|NE FOR CHANNELING ROCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,973, dated September 9, 1890.

Application filed January 16 1888- Serial No. 260,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDW'ARD H. KRUGER, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Channeling Rock, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the advantages arising from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description.

The machine consists, essentially, of a platform supported on trucks and adapted to move along a tramway, of a frame mounted on the platform and carrying a series of channeling-drills arranged in sets or gangs, of trip-cams for raising the drills and means for forcing them down by steam pressure, of means for moving the frame-work back and forth in the line of the channel, of means for adjusting the frame-work vertically, of means for moving the Whole device along the tramway, and of means for imparting motion to the several parts of the device.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front or side elevation of the machine, a portion of the machine being broken away to disclose the cylinder and piston employed in driving down one of the drill-carriers, and also to show the connection between the cylinder and the steam space or conduit, whereby the cylinder is supplied with steam. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the end shown at the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the end shown at the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical central cross-section. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical longitudinal section of the end shown at the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 illustrates the shifter for throwing the traveling trucks in and out of gear with the moving mechanism. Fig. 8 is a view showing elevation, illustrating a set of drills and piston and yoke separated from the machine for the purpose of more fully illustrating said parts. Fig. 9 is a bottom View of a set of drills, showing the position of the cutting-edges and illustrating the preferred plan upon which the cuttingedges are arranged relatively to each other.-

Fig. 10 is a view ofa dash-pot and air-cushion for stopping the drills at a given point in their descent and at the same time preventing them from communicating any jar to the mechanism with which they are immediately connected. Fig. 11 is a view showing a suitable description of valve for admitting the steam to the cylinders and allowing it to freely exhaust therefrom.

The platform A is mounted on the axles a a, on which are the wheels A, adapted to travel on the rails O. The frame-work B rests on the rollers a set in the platform A. Suitable guides are provided for preventing the frame-work B from being deflected laterally, and yet permit it to travel back and forth. One form of such guides is shown in the cleats a fastened to the platform A. The frame-work B has at its ends upright guides 13', in which the drill-frame D moves. The shaft E is journaled in the ends of the frame D and carries a series of trip-cams F, which are set at different angles on the shaft. The steam-chest G extends from end to end of the frame D. It is provided with a steam-space g, which extends the entire length of. the chest and communicates with each of a series of cylinders g. A convenient mode of providing these cylinders is by boring into the solid portion of the bar G below the steamchest G, at the same time imparting great strength to the frame-work. The cylinders g correspond in number to the cams above and are under them. A piston H fits into each of these cylinders and is made steam-tight in any desirable way, the preferred means being a snap-ring h at the top. Each piston or its extension is rigidly attached to a drillhead I below. Each drill-head has fastened in it a series of drills J, preferably five or seven in number. Any means may be employed to hold these drills in position; but it must be such as will permit ready attach-' ment and detachment of the drills. The drills J extend downward and are controlled by 9 guides D in the lower part of the frame and pass down through a central slot in the platform A. To the rear face of each drill-head a yoke I is attached and extends upwardly. These yokes surround their respective tripcams, and at the upper end each is provided with a projection or cross-bearing 1, against which the cam bears.

Steam is supplied to the steam-chest G through an opening G.

No exhaust for each cylinder need be pro vided; but I prefer to provide an exhaust, as the latter enables the machine to be operated with a far less expenditure of motive power, and with less wear and tear.

Any suitable device for operating and controlling the exhaust may be employed. One description of device for this purpose is shown in Fig. 11, and is as follows: A rotary valve S is located in the passage g between the steam-space g and the head of the rod H. An exhaust-port g is provided at the side of the valve. The shape of the steam-passage S in the valve is such as to enable the valve to rapidly feed live steam to the head of the rod or piston II h and forcibly drive down the latter and its drills as soon as the cam F per- Inits of the descent of the drill and quickly to cut off the live steam and exhaust the dead steam from over the rod-pistou H h immediately in advance of the time when the drill and red are to be elevated. The valve S is preferably actuated by an arm S pivoted to and actuated by a rod S worked by a strap or hood S", reciprocated by an eccentric S preferably located on and rotated by the main shaft E.

As a means of operating the shaft E, I preferably provide a suitable steam-engine K, which is attached to the frame-work and imparts motion directly to the shaft; The stopbar L extends from end to end of the frame D alongside of the drills and in. the line of descent of the drill-heads I. The bar L has on its upper surface a cushion L, made of any suitable material and adapted to form a stop against which the drill-heads may strike in their downward movement when they are not stopped by the stone which they are operated to channel before reaching said bar. The object of the cushion is to prevent the machine being jarred and injured by the otherwise too sudden impingement of the drillhead against the non-elastic bar.

A preferable device for receiving the downward impact of the drill-head (otherwise received by the bar L) is the air-cushion shown in Fig. 10, and constructed substantially as follows, viz: Attached to the drill-carrier is a piston-rod T, having a packing T working tightly in a cylinder T having a vent T a short distance above the bottom of the cylinder, thereby allowing the piston to descend without resistance until it passes this vent, and then as it compresses the air in the lower end of the cylinder the compressed air offers an elastic resistance, rapidly increasing in amount, and forming a soft and yet effectual barrier to the advance of the piston or drillcarrier down to the bar L.

The mechanism for imparting a to-and-fro movement to the frames is shown at the right in Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 3, 5, and (i. The shaft E terminates in the beveled pinion c, which meshes with gear-wheel M. The wheel M is supported in a pedestal bearing on the bracket d and has the vertical shaft N passing through its center. The upper end of the shaft slides vertically through the wheel M; but it is so connected to the wheel as to impart to the latter its rotary movement. In the present illustrative instance the shaft is square and passes through a square opening in the wheel. The shaft N is also supported by a bearing in the bracket c. The shaft N is also provided with the crank 01. near its lower end. The continuation of the rod N below the crank passes through the slot a in the platform A and terminates in the beveled gear-wheel N. A washer or flange N or projection, is fixed to the shaft N at its lower end portion above the gear-wheel N, so that when the machine is elevated the shaft cannot move vertically through the platform. The link N is attached to the crank a and adapted to be connected to and detached from the pin a, which is attached to the platform A. The center a of the axle a is flat-faced or round, and in the latter instance provided with a feather, and carries the sleeve 0 which is adapted to slide on it and to receive rotary motion therefrom. The sleeve 0 has the two oppositely-facing beveled gears O O rigidly attached to it. Any suitable device for throwing either one of the wheels 0 0 into and out of gear with the pinion N may be employed. One description of such device is shown, and is as follows: The clutch 1, operated by the lever P, serves to move the sleeve 0 011 the axle and to throw one or the other of the wheels 0 0 into gear with the pinion N. When the lever P is vertical, the gears O O occupy a middle position, and neither is in gear with the pinion N.

A suitable device is provided for raising and lowering the frame-work B. A convenient kind of such device is as follows: A bracket D projects from each end of the drillframe D. The outer end of this bracket is provided with a screw-threaded opening through which the screw Q passes. The lower ends of the screws Q rest on the cross-braces b of the frame B, while their upper ends are held in the brackets e, projecting from the frame 13. Each screw Q has on its upper end a beveled gear-wheel. Q, which gears with. a beveled pinion on the horizontal shaft R, which latter is journaled in the brackets c and passes through vertical slots cl in the drill-frame D. The shaft R is provided at one end with the crank R, by which it is operated. hen found desirable, a duplicate set of brackets D screws 0,, brackets c, and gearwheels Q may be present at each end of the machine, the duplicate sets at the same end of the machine being suitably geared together, so as to act simultaneously in elevating or lowering the machine through the operation of the horizontal shaft R and its beveled pinions.

The mode of operation of the machineis as follows: The engine K is started and imparts motion to the shaft E. At the same time steam is admitted to the steam-chest G. As the shaft E revolves, the cams F lift the drills one set after the other. \Vhen the point of the cam passes the projection 2' of the yoke of any set of drills, the drills drop suddenly of their own weight. Additional force is added to the drop by the pressure of the steam in the chest G on the piston H of the set of drills which is dropping. The cutting ends of the drills are of any suitable shape for the purpose. This may be chisel-shaped and have the line of the V different in the several drills of each set, as shown in Fig. 9. If the drills struck in the same place at each drop, the core of stone between them would not be removed. To avoid this the frame B is moved slowly back and forth by means of the movement imparted to the shaft N by the shaft E. The shaft N rotates, and with it turns the crank it, and the latter, being attached to the link N imparts a longitudinal reciprocating movement to the frames B and D. In consequence of this movement each drill strikes a different spot at each successive blow, resulting in cutting out the cores and clearing the channel.

On beginning the work of cutting a channel the surface of the rock is frequently quite uneven and of different heights. In such cases the different sets of drills will drop different distances. In such case the lower parts of the surface of the rock may be below the stroke of certain of the drills. In such event the impact of these last-named drills is received on the bar L, or rather on the elastic medium, as the air-cushion or other elastic device. The same operation will occur where parts of the rock are soft and parts very hard in the line of the channel being out. When the drills have cut the full depth permitted by the stroke of the pistons H, the frame D is lowered by means of the screws Q, operated by the shaft R and handles R When the full depth which can be obtained in this way has been cut, the drills are removed and longer drills put in their places. When the reciprocatory movement of the frame-work B is not desired, the link N is detached from the pin a, and a suitable device for fixing at will the framework rigidly to the platform A of the carriage is employed. I at present employ, as shown, on each side of themachine a pin W, each of' which pins I drops into its respective hole in the framework and platform, thus rigidly connecting them all together. This connection is espe cially desirable when it is desirable to move to the axle a, and moves the machine in one direction or the other, according to which of the wheels 0 O is geared with the pinion N.

It sometimes becomes necessary to throw one or more sets of drills out of action. This is done by raising the set and holding it up by means of the hook i at the top of the frame D.

The operation is especially desirable when the channel to be cut is shorter than the length of a channel cut by all of the drills when simultaneously in operation.

While the various features of my invention are preferably employed together, one or more of said features may be used without the remainder, and in so far as applicable one or. more of said features maybe employed in connection with devices or machines for channeling other than the one herein specifically described.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a supporting framework, drills J, drill-heads I, piston H, cylinder g, yoke I, shaft E, and trip-cam F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of a supporting framework, steam-chest G, provided with steamspace 9 and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads I, drills J, yokes I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of a supporting framework, steam-chest G, provided with steamspace 9 and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads I, drills J, yoke I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of a vertically-adjustable supporting frame-work, steam-chest G,

provided with steam-space g and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads I, drills J, yokes I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination of a supporting framework, steam-chest G, provided with steamspace 9 and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads drills J, yoke I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, with steam-engine K, attached to the framework, substantially as and for the'purposes specified.

6. The combination of a vertically-adjustable-supporting frame-work, steam-chest G, provided with steam-space g and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads I, drills J, yokes I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, with steam-engine K, attached to the frame-work, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. The combination of a supporting framework, steam-chest G, provided with steamspace g and cylinders g, piston H, drill-heads I, drills J, yokes I, shaft E, trip-cams F, bar L, and elastic cushion, substantially as and for the purposes specifiedf 8. The combination of the frames B and D, shaft E, pinion e, gear M, supported on a pedestal-bearing', rod N, crank 02, link N platform A, and pin a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. The combination of the platform A, frame B, verticallymoving shaft E, journaled in frame D, rod N, gear M, concentric With rod N and sliding thereon and connected thereto by a tenon or feather connection, the pinion N, fixed on rod N, axle a, sleeve 0 gears O O, clutch P, and lever P, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. The combination of platform A, frames 13 and D, shaft E, pinion 8, gear M, rod N, provided with crank-arm a, link N pin a, pinion N, axle a, sleeve 0 gears O O, clutch P, and lever P, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. The combination ofasupportingframe, steam'chest having steam-space 9, cylinders g, piston II, valve S, dri ll-heads, yokes I, shaft E, and trip-cams F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. The combination of a supporting-frame, steam-chest having steam-space g, cylinders 9', piston H, valve S, drill-heads, yokes, shaft, valve S, arm S rod S strap or hood S, and eccentrics S substantially as and for the purposes specified.

13. The combination of a sup porting-frame, steam-chest opening into a series of cylinders which contain a piston, as H, connected to its respective drill-heads for communicating a downward impulse to the drill-heads, air-cyl inder T having air-vent T for preventing the drills from jarring the frame, and the elevating-cam F, and cross-bar or projection d, connected to the yoke or connection I, carrying the drills, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

EDWARD II. KRUGER.

Attest:

A. L. IIERRLINGER, G. A. W. PAVER. 

